In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks

The Ryou-Un Maru stayed afloat for several hours, listing and ablaze, after the coast guard opened fired with a 25mm machine gun. A few hours later the coast guard finished it off with artillery rounds, The Guardian reported.

Image: US Coast Guard Cutter Anacapa crew douses the adrift Japanese vessel with water after a gunnery exercisePhotographs: Reuters

In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks

The Japanese owners of the ship had said they did not want it back. Early Thursday, a Canadian crew had tried to save it, but after a closer inspection they abandoned the idea and the operation to sink the ship began.